Ontario Invites Proposals for Crown Forests Wood Supply

The Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry (Toronto, Canada) is searching for innovative ways to use logs, branches and other wood in Crown forests for manufacturing or other commercial purposes. This will help create green jobs and new investment in the forest industry, the government agency notes. Proposals are currently being accepted for the use of about 11 million cubic meters of wood. The competitive process is open to anyone, including existing and new forest companies, interested in using Crown wood supply and investing in Ontario. Proposals, which must be submitted by March 4, 2010, will be evaluated on a number of criteria, including fostering effective, cooperative relationships between industry and aboriginal communities. The Provincial Wood Supply Competitive Process is the second stage of Ontario's "Staged Competition for Crown Wood Supply" program. It includes about one-third of the existing wood supply identified in Forest Management Plans. Forests cover almost 60% of Ontario, and 90% of forested lands are provincially owned and known as Crown lands. More information is available on the agency's website.

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